Flathead runs away from Hellgate
Way back on Aug. 31, as Flathead went through its final walk-through in preparation for a Week 2 trip to Helena Capital the following night, the Braves closed their practice working on punt returns.
Jaden MacNeil, donning his white practice jersey and black helmet, dropped back to his normal position approximately 40 yards from the punter and fielded the first punt, jogging up the field for a few yards before turning back to receive another.
Before he could, Flathead coach Kyle Samson interrupted, his voice booming across the practice field nestled in the then-smoky Flathead Valley.
“We had two punt returns of over 10 yards last week, but it wasn’t because we blocked for (MacNeil). He broke five tackles,” Samson told his team, referencing the season opener against Butte. “If we block our asses off for him, we’re gonna house one of these.”
Nearly two months and eight games later, that moment finally arrived in the Braves’ 56-15 win over Missoula Hellgate (0-9) on Friday night at Legends Stadium.
Just as he had underneath the punishing Montana sun in August, MacNeil dropped back, fielded the punt and made a man miss. The junior defensive back found the sideline, and a plethora of blockers escorted him to the end zone for a 58-yard score.
“We’ve been anticipating that all year,” Flathead quarterback Taylor Morton said.
“We’ve been waiting for it and waiting for it. We knew it was going to happen.”
It couldn’t have come at a better time.
The special teams touchdown helped provide a jolt to what was, early on, a lethargic Flathead squad that fell behind 7-0 early to the winless Knights.
The Braves (5-3) went on to score 56 unanswered points after Hellgate’s initial touchdown, putting the game away by halftime and securing the school’s third playoff berth since 2008.
“Sometimes you just need that spark,” Samson said.
“That was definitely a big spark for us.”
On a night when Flathead honored its 24 seniors, the senior quarterback had the game of his life.
Morton completed 15 of his 24 pass attempts for 240 yards and a career-high five touchdowns.
“It’s awesome to go out with a bang,” he said. “It was awesome to take a knee at the end of the game and put up some yards. It was a lot of fun. Couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
But Morton wasn’t the only senior to get in on the action.
His second touchdown pass of the evening was a 17-yarder to John Hinchey, a senior who struggled with injuries early in the season but has come on strong of late. Hinchey’s score, which gave Flathead its first lead early in the second quarter, was his first off the season after he had a touchdown reception called back at Missoula Big Sky due to a penalty.
Senior Jon Baker also found the end zone, notching his fifth touchdown of the season with a 6-yard run in the fourth quarter.
“That was the best part about it,” Samson said of his seniors’ performance. “Those 24 kids, they deserve it. They earned it. I’m so happy that those guys got to go out the way they did. Every senior got to play tonight. What a great way to honor those seniors.”
Several juniors played a substantial role, as well, including MacNeil, Blake Counts and Anthony Jones, all of whom have been key contributors throughout the Braves’ run to the playoffs.
Counts caught a screen pass and raced 39 yards for Flathead’s first score, and Jones hauled in a career-high three receiving touchdowns to give him nine for the season.
By the fourth quarter, the upperclassmen’s jobs were finished.
For the first time this season, they were afforded the opportunity to wander the sideline and watch the fourth quarter play out with backups scattered across the field.
“It’s so nice to see those young kids get those reps, because they work so hard in practice,” Samson said. “It’s awesome to see them get those experiences under the Friday night lights.”
With their playoff fate secure, Flathead will complete its regular season at 7 p.m. next Friday at Helena High. But even though the Braves already know they’re headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2015, Samson was quick to remind his team after the game there is still much to play for.
“Our goal isn’t just to get to the playoffs,” Samson said. “We want to do some work in the playoffs.
“We’re not done. We want more.”
Hellgate 7 0 0 8 — 15
Flathead 7 26 23 0 — 56
First Quarter
H — Rollie Worster 23 run (Brandon Coladonato kick), 5:12
F — Blake Counts 39 pass from Taylor Morton (Jaden MacNeil kick), 1:11
Second Quarter
F — John Hinchey 17 pass from Morton (kick failed), 8:16
F — MacNeil 58 punt return (kick failed), 7:16
F — Anthony Jones 54 pass from Morton (kick failed), 4:08
F — Jones 32 pass from Morton (Jon Baker pass from Morton), 0:29
Third Quarter
F — Jones 5 pass from Morton (Austin Demars pass from Morton), 8:43
F — Baker 6 run (Demars pass from Morton), 4:57
F — Jestin Bulick 20 pass from Cooper Smith (MacNeil kick), :04
Fourth Quarter
H — Gage Haran 13 pass from Worster (Haran pass from Worster), 1:19
Hellgate Flathead
First Downs 11 24
Rushes-Yards 27-98 30-215
Passing Yards 131 260
Comp-Att-Int 11-31-0 16-28-0
Total Plays-Yards 58-229 58-475
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 4-2
Penalties-Yards 6-60 3-15
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Hellgate, Ceaton Oliver 12-57, Rollie Worster 15-41. Flathead, Blake Counts 9-100, Jon Baker 6-48, Gunnar Landrum 3-26, John Hinchey 1-15.
PASSING — Hellgate, Rollie Worster 11-31-0-131. Flathead, Taylor Morton 15-24-0-240, Cooper Smith 1-4-0-20.
RECEIVING — Hellgate, Ceaton Oliver 3-33, Gage Haran 3-28, Jace Dewalt 2-32, Kade Lunday 2-21. Flathead, Anthony Jones 6-116, John Hinchey 4-50, Blake Counts 2-46, Bobby Lowry 2-18.